Analysis of the Aircraft Engine Reversing Device Lattice from Domestic Polymer Materials Manufacturing Technology Impact on Its Mechanical Characteristics

Technological Issues of the Flying Vehicles Composite Structures Manufacturing


Аuthors

Orlov A. M., Pashutov A. V.*

Central research institute for special machinery, Zavodskay str., Khotkovo, Moscow region, 141371, Russia

*e-mail: tsniism@tsniism.ru

Abstract

The article deals with the study of the manufacturing process parameters impact on the strength characteristics of carbon fiber lattices of the aircraft engine thrust reversers. The object of study is a lattice structure from a unidirectional polymer composite material (PCM), which ribs are of a cross-section similar to an aerodynamic profile.

Basic lattice manufacturing technology involves a layer-by-layer “wet” winding, or robotic layup of carbon fiber impregnated with a polymer binder in a detachable metal mandrel, followed by thermal curing under compression by elastic matrices. The high coefficient of linear thermal expansion (CLTE) of the elastic matrix material ensures extra material compaction and improved surface quality. Alongside with that, thermal expansion of the matrices leads to a change in the rib cross-sectional geometry up to 20% of the nominal value, which can  be considered formally a critical deviation from design documentation requirements.

Two key technological factors are considered. The first one is the effect of geometric deviations in rib cross-sections caused by the thermo-compressive impact of the elastic tooling. It has been demonstrated analytically that, since the amount of the reinforcing fiber in the cross-section remains constant, a decrease in the cross-sectional area is being accompanied by a proportional increase in the material tensile strength. Computing of actual areas values confirm the local strength increase by 21.3%. The safety factors herewith at the tension-compression and bending remain unchanged. The extra compaction reduces porosity and ensures a more regular distribution of reinforcing fibers, as confirmed by comparative tests of the samples manufactured with elastic and metal tooling.

The second considered factor is the binder content impact on the mechanical properties of the structure. It has been demonstrated that the traditional method for the binder mass fraction determining for a whole (untrimmed) workpiece introduces systematic error due to the differences in the structure and reinforcement ratio in the working and process zones. A refined approach that suggests determining the binder content for the workpiece with trimmed technological zones by computing was proposed. For the reversing lattice under study, the average binder content for twelve workpieces was 54.12% for the workpiece with the trimmed process zones, with a maximum deviation of 1.96%, while for the untrimmed process zones it was 52.12%, with a deviation of 5.78%.

The impact of the process factors on the structural strength was assessed by the strength testing method on structurally similar lattice elements (SSLE), developed at the JSC TsNIISM. This method involves physical and mechanical properties determining of the material by the model samples, computing the stress-strain state of the full-scale structure, and verifying the results through the SSME testing.

By the results of the study, the authors drew inference that the determining factor of the lattice structures was the amount of reinforcing material at the ribs cross-section rather than the layup technological structure. Geometric deviations due to the manufacturing process do not affect have a significant negative impact on the structure strength. The proposed approach to the binder mass fraction determining improves the quality control accuracy and stability of the mass production process for reversing device lattices.

Keywords:

reversing device lattice, composite reversing device, composite structures technology

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